hello!

Great website, i find it very helpful to be able to read and communicate with all of you similar situations.

My daughter has already being awarded an ROTC scholarship to one of her choice colleges.
She is waiting to hear from another ROTC program, at her #1 choice college. In the meantime DoDMERB disqualified her because of sports induced asthma during her highschool freshman year. She attended the SLS at West Point this summer and was fine. Has not had an episode since the spring of 05....

We contacted the PMS at the school she really wants to attend and has been accepted to, and he did not seem to offer much help

We have submitted a waiver request to Fort Monroe. In the meantime she feels this news is lessening her chance to get this ROTC scholarship to her Top choice college. Anyone in that situation? How much influence does the PMS have when it comes to obtaining a waiver???
Before he knew of the disqualification he had assured her that her chances of getting that scholarship were extremely high.
Can she be denied a scholarship strictly because of medical disqualification before even trying to obtain a waiver? Anybody in that situation, or with some advice? Thank you!

The scholarship portion of the application is completely separate from the medical portion. One has no bearing on the other. So a disqualification will not affect her chances of getting her primary school.

The PMS has no bearing on the waiver, again, it is separate from the admissions portion.

Hopefully the waiver works out!! If you have any other medical questions please feel free to ask away!!

The scholarship portion of the application is completely separate from the medical portion. One has no bearing on the other. So a disqualification will not affect her chances of getting her primary school.

The PMS has no bearing on the waiver, again, it is separate from the admissions portion.

Hopefully the waiver works out!! If you have any other medical questions please feel free to ask away!!

Click to expand...

Hmm... I have been reading some of the posts pertaining to these "Asthma" DQ. I find it baffling... My daughter did fill out a questionaire for DoDMERB detailing when, how often and so on. Last time she used an inhaler was in the spring of 2005. They have a detailed description of her physical activities, they asked us for numerous remedials for all sorts of things (the whole process is very tedious) and they still DQ based on just the "Asthma", which she does not have....
the test described by some of the posts i just read is faily frightening to me. they are "trying" to induce Asthma with a "drug" sound really dangerous to me!!!!!!!!!! I don't quite get the point.
Right now i feel frustrated. After 3 scholarship offers, acceptance to her choice school and all the others, having to deal with this just before Christmas is kind of nerve wrenching.... Sorry for rambling...

In response to live4ever's concerns about the DoDMERB process I will explain the thought processes behind what DoDMERB does, and the reasons for them. I will also explain why DoDMERB issues a disqualification, even though the applicant or parent may not feel it is an issue.

When the applicants fill out the medical history questionnaire it is possible that items are mistakenly left off. It happens to all of us, and its not a big deal. Depending on the answers that are on the medical history questionnaire DoDMERB may request additional information (questionnaires, medical records, evaluations). There are times when DoDMERB will request only a questionnaire, but when the applicant fills out the questionnaire it raises more questions for the DoDMERB reviewer or physician, in which case medical records or an evaluation may be requested.

Remember, the DoDMERB reviewer and physician can not evaluate the individual personally, they are relying on the examining physician, the medical history and any additional information they request. To qualify an applicant DoDMERB must be comfortable doing it. DoDMERB does not take care of the applicants once they get to an academy, ROTC program or USUHS. That is the responsibility of the service that the applicant is applying for.

So there is the possibility that prior to a qualification or disqualification DoDMERB may request additional information multiple times. Sometimes when the reviewer requests information on one item, when that information is received there is something else of concern listed there that was not on the initial medical history form.

Once DoDMERB receives the information it is all reviewed. If there is an item that is a disqualification, DoDMERB has to disqualify. Again, DoDMERB does not take care of the applicants, that is the individual services which is where the waiver authorities come in. They make the determination on whether a medical condition could possibly prevent the applicant from completing school and 20 years of service afterwards.

The instructions that DoDMERB goes by are written by the Department of Defense, Health Affairs office. They are reviewed around every 3 -5 years and changes do get made.

There are quite a few disqualifications that are listed as "History of" disqualifications. What that means, if an applicant EVER had this issue it is a disqualification. In the case of asthma/reactive airway disease it is a history of after the 13th birthday. If an applicant had a diagnosis of asthma or took asthma medication after the 13th birthday it is a disqualification by DoDMERB. DoDMERB has no gray area, its black and white.

I will agree wholeheartedly that the process can be frustrating and confusing. It is frustrating and confusing sitting in the chair reviewing medical records all day as well. All the reviewers and physicians would like nothing more than to qualify each and every applicant and not have to request additional information. Each year DoDMERB reviews around 35,000 applicants. This is with a staff of 9 reviewers, 1 optometrist and 3 physicians. No one likes to increase their workload by requesting additional information, but to provide the services with the best medically qualified applicants it is something that has to be done.

As for the testing, the test you describe is the methacholine challenge test (MCCT). This test is not requested regularly, it is only for those applicants that the waiver authority feels are really borderline as far as asthma/reactive airway disease goes. More often than not they will request a pre/post bronchodilator pulmonary function test, which is where an applicant does a pulmonary function test, then take a puff of an inhaler (albuterol) and does another pulmonary function test. It measures to see how much difference there is between the two.

You are correct that the MCCT can be dangerous. Trying to induce an asthmatic reaction on someone who does have asthma is a challenge. This test is always done under the direct supervision of a physician with the appropriate medical equipment standing by. It is a very expensive test for that reason. For an applicant who does not have asthma it is not as dangerous, but can still be a challenge.

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond in such a thorough way. i really do appreciate it. And yes, i can imagine how tedious it is for the people at DoDMERB and i appreciate it. But everyone has a job to do...Thanks again!